by K Loraine
My nipples tightened with a zing of arousal. Damn him. “This is as close as you’re going to get.”
“You’ve said that before.”
I took a long breath, which was a colossal mistake because all that got me was more of his addictive scent. “I need to sleep.”
He nodded. “I’ll see you to bed.”
I shook my head. “I know the way.”
“So you do. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you wander a house filled with vampires I don’t know. You may hate me, but I feel exactly the opposite for you.”
I didn’t respond, instead, I walked away from him, feeling his eyes boring holes into my back. We made our way silently through the house, up the grand staircase and down the halls that seemed to never end, until finally Cashel put his palm on the small of my back and I stilled.
“I never wanted to bring you back to this place, little bird. I’m sorry it turned out this way.”
“If you were sorry, you’d have let me live my life with Logan.”
His amber irises darkened to a terrifying onyx. “If I’d done that, you’d have no life to speak of.”
“Maybe that was the better option.”
He opened the door and waited for me to walk inside, then followed, stopping at the fireplace as I continued deeper inside. Not a single word was uttered between us as I wandered the rooms, heading to his bedroom where I found all the clothing Brenna had bought for me when I’d first arrived. I slipped into a silk nightgown and pulled my hair into a loose braid. My gaze drifted to the vial of Cashel’s blood sitting on the bed near my discarded shirt. That could be a ploy, another lie to get me to be pliant. But I also remembered my training with the hunters. They’d told me something similar. My hands shook as I pulled out the stopper and dispensed a single drop onto my finger. Then, I brought it to my lips and let the taste of Cashel wash over my tongue. Rich and dark with a hint of spice, his blood wasn’t at all what I’d feared. Heat rushed to the surface of my skin, a flashover of flame which quickly died down to a faint flicker.
“All right in there, little bird?” he called.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice squeaking. “Just not used to sleeping in a real bed.”
“That’s a shame. Make yourself comfortable. I want nothing more than to share my bed with you. However that has to happen.”
That flame built inside me, rapidly coming back to life. I needed him. Needed his hands on my body. Claiming me as his. “Come here, Cashel,” I murmured, my heart racing. What was I doing?
His handsome form appeared almost instantly. “You tasted it, didn’t you?”
I nodded. “Why do I feel like this?” Everything was hot and cold, swimming with uncertainty and lust. “What did you put in that?”
His dark head shook, and he looked confused. “Nothing. It’s just…mine. Nothing else, I promise.”
“I want…I want to touch you. I need you close.”
He pursed his lips and took a step back. “This shouldn’t be happening. Your reaction isn’t right. I’m sorry. I can’t give you what you want and risk you thinking I took advantage.”
“Cashel, please?” Between my legs, I ached for him, needed him to ease this desire. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“No. I wanted you to trust me. This is achieving the exact opposite.”
“If you won’t give me something to ease this, call Lucas. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to take care of me.”
He growled and clenched his hands into fists. “I won’t be touching you.” Then he grabbed the vial of blood out of my grasp and tucked it away in the top drawer of the desk behind him. “You need to sleep this off, and as much as I’d love to fuck you in my bed, that’s not going to happen tonight.”
He left me there, alone and needy, surrounded by his scent. It was only when I heard the click of the lock being set that panic pushed aside whatever his blood did to me. I’d almost given myself to him willingly. In fact, that’s exactly what I’d done. I’d thrown myself at him and instead of taking what he wanted, he’d left because he knew I’d blame him. He knew I’d hate myself. But I think I already did.
12
Olivia
Hunger pulled me from sleep, gnawing and twisting my stomach. I sat up, reaching for Cashel on instinct. I’d tossed and turned for hours, my dreams filled with him and Logan fighting each other, both hurt because of me. It left me with a crick in my neck and limbs laden with exhaustion. But I couldn’t go without food any longer. Three crackers with meat and cheese did not fill my belly.
I stood, stretching and curling my toes into the thick carpet. All the curtains were drawn, leaving the room in thick darkness. My footsteps were silent as I made my way to the light switch. With one flick of my finger, the room was illuminated. Hues of gray and blue made up much of the decor, with clean lines and modern touches in the regal, elegant house. It was all so very…Cashel. A wave of mortification hit me in the chest at the memory of how I’d acted last night, hopped up on his blood. One drop on my lips had made me react like a cat in heat. What had that been about?
I was famished, but there was one very important detail I’d forgotten yesterday. “Cloak your scent,” I muttered to myself as I wandered into the attached bathroom suite. I prayed Martin had remembered the rose oil Brenna had supplied me with. And, as I flipped on the light, something in my chest loosened. There it was, the bottle filled with the oil I’d hoped I’d never have to use again.
After my bath, I dressed quickly in a pair of fitted black pants and a deep crimson top with a high neck that buttoned in the back. It wouldn’t keep me safe, but not displaying the goods was probably the best move in a house swarmed with vampires. If I could even get out of Cashel’s rooms. Anxiety crawled up my throat at the memory of being locked in here before I finally succumbed to sleep.
Walking through the open doorway and into the sitting room, I found the area faintly lit by a set of wall sconces on either side of the far wall. It was so strange to be back here, to have Cashel so close but be more apart from him than ever. As I made my way toward the exit, I scanned the dim room for signs of someone, anyone guarding me. The light was so poor, I could barely make out shapes, but the moment I saw the slumped form on the loveseat, I knew it was him. Cashel stayed true to his word. He hadn’t touched me while I’d slept for hours in his bed.
I couldn’t help myself, I took the three steps forward and reached out. His hair had fallen forward, covering his eyes, and I needed to see the face that haunted me night after night. I pushed the thick locks back, reveling in the feel of the strands against my skin. God, I missed him even though I shouldn’t.
He shifted where he slept, and before I could pull my hand away, his fingers gripped my wrist gently. “What are you up to, little bird?”
My heart fluttered as fear took the place of my stubborn need for him. “You looked uncomfortable.”
“I am.”
“I need something to eat. I thought everyone would still be sleeping. The sun’s still up. It should be safe.”
He frowned and got to his feet slowly. “I know. I can feel it.”
“I was just going to the kitchen to get some food.”
He chuckled. “Or are you planning to make good on your threat to kill us all in our sleep?”
“If I wanted to kill you, I could have.”
“True. So what does that say about you then?”
I sighed. “That the effects of your brainwashing still linger, and I’m going to have to work harder to get you out of my system.”
“Have you considered that it’s not brainwashing, and that I belong in your system?”
My stomach twisted in response to his proximity. He could pin me between his body and the wall in a flash of movement if he wanted. “You think I want to be here? That I’m happy you brought me back to this nightmare? You’re crazy. Why am I even here, Cashel? It’s not to cure sun sickness. Anne seems even more sadistic than your father. You handed me over without a second tho
ught for what it would do to me.” I backed away and headed for the door. “Maybe you should be calling me little lamb instead of little bird. I’m here to eventually be slaughtered.”
He strode across the room, hair sleep rumpled and eyes tired. “No. You’re not helpless. You’re cunning and graceful. A bird ready to spread her wings.”
“Is there some kind of special wisdom you’re about to drop on me? Something that will actually help me survive this? Because if not, I need you to step back and leave me the hell alone, Cash.”
His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “You’ve had my blood, you should be as shielded as possible. Are you armed?”
I glanced down my body and blushed, thinking of the silver dagger in the makeshift sheath I created to strap around my thigh during one of my restless periods during the night. “Yes.”
“Good. The Blackthornes won’t hurt you because they know I’ll kill them, but the newly made vampires in this house can’t be trusted.”
“I don’t think any of you can be trusted.”
I opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked, and stepped out into the hall, desperate to get away from the multitude of feelings rolling through me. I had to find Knight and get us out of this place before we were both killed.
I managed to eat undisturbed, the silent kitchen proving to hold every kind of food I could want. Just how many humans did these vampires need to feed? After leaving my plate in the sink, I wandered the house, avoiding the library and music room at all costs. Too many things had happened in those spaces for me to be ready to relive them.
“Where are you, Knight?” I whispered.
My feet took me to places I’d never seen before. A large game room furnished with a pool table and what looked like an ongoing game of chess on a polished checkerboard table. Vampires played chess? I laughed at myself. Why wouldn’t they?
“Fancy a game?” Lucas’ voice caught me off guard, making me yelp and nearly come out of my skin.
“Don’t do that.” There was annoyance in my tone I couldn’t disguise.
“You’re in a house of vampires, darling. You need to work on attention to your surroundings.” He sauntered over to me, dragging his fingers over the tops of the chess pieces. “If you’re looking for my brother, you won’t find him here.”
“I’m not. I just realized I don’t know this house very well. I’ve only seen a few rooms, and most of them have…bad memories.”
“Well, you’re missing out. Media room, tennis courts, stables, pool, and of course, Cashel’s sex dungeon.”
I nearly choked on my gasp. “Excuse me?”
He laughed so loudly it filled the room. “Oh, darling, I’m just taking the piss. It’s my sex dungeon.”
I didn’t respond to that. I couldn’t think of what to say. “There’s a pool?”
“Oh, yes. And a steam room. State-of-the-art. Father always wanted the best of the best.”
“Where is it?”
He grinned. “Fancy a dip?”
“I need to do something to keep my mind off being stuck here.”
“I can think of lots of things we could do. Though my brother would castrate me if I tried.”
Sex dungeon flashed in my mind, and my cheeks burned. “Swimming should do it. Thanks for the offer.”
“Be sure to bring some rose oil with you. Don’t want to walk around smelling like our favorite dessert after your swim.”
I pulled out the vial of oil I’d stashed in my pocket and waved it at him. “All set.”
He grinned and nodded. “Clever girl. You’ll find a door under the grand staircase. It will show you to all our hidden secrets.” A devilish wink from him made me smile despite myself. “Happy hunting.”
I made my way upstairs and to Cashel’s rooms, hoping he wouldn’t be there to stop me from my exploration. The excuse of swimming, of searching for something to occupy myself seemed logical enough to disguise what I was really doing. Looking for Knight. Cashel wasn’t anywhere to be found when I came through the door, and a sigh of relief left me before it was replaced with a small twist of disappointment. I still wanted to see him, to hear his voice, and to fight with him. I was a glutton for this man.
Rifling through the drawers at the base of the tall wardrobe, I smiled when I found a midnight blue bikini. It was more revealing than I’d normally choose, but I had to admit, despite the bruises on my ribs from training, I looked good. The cut of the suit accentuated my curves perfectly. I grabbed a soft terrycloth robe off the hook on the bathroom wall and slid my feet into the pair of sandals at the bottom of the wardrobe.
My heart raced at the sound of voices in the other room, and I worked to calm its erratic flutter to keep from being found out.
“God, Cashel, I’ve missed this. I’ve missed us.”
My hair stood on end. I didn’t want to hear this. I may have tried to get over him, but Cashel still held so much of my heart.
“El, I told you, this can’t happen. Not now. There’s too much at stake.”
“Oh, please, just give me something to hold me over. We can be quick. Let me make you feel good again. I know that whore has you on a tight rope.” I hated her. Eliana was a snake, and if Cashel was back with her, I needed to let my stubborn phantom feelings go.
The familiar sound of someone being shoved against a wall reverberated through the door, and I had to bite back my disgust. Soft moans and shallow breaths followed, then ceased abruptly before Cashel said, “Stop. I’m not in the mood for this.”
She huffed, and the door slammed, rattling the walls. My heart was in my throat, thrumming fast enough I was sure he could hear me. But he didn’t come. Instead, he sighed and left. What was going on with him and Eliana? More than he’d led me to believe, that was certain. But he’d turned her down. That was more than I’d done with Logan. I’d let him into my heart and gave him an opportunity to dethrone Cashel as king of my affection.
When I was sure they were both gone, I pulled the sash of the robe tight around my waist and went searching for the pool. The house was still fairly quiet as I descended the stairs. A few vampires milled about, but none paid me much attention. The rose oil did its job well. The door Lucas had mentioned was easy to find. So easy, I wondered why I hadn’t seen it before. I opened the heavy door and stepped into a dimly lit hallway that led to a stone staircase. “Down. Of course,” I murmured. Everything we couldn’t see on the outside structure had to be underground. I’d been stupid not to consider that option.
I took the stairs carefully, holding onto the cave-like wall for support. Maybe the dungeon was down here. I could find Knight, make sure he was okay.
As I walked, I passed a door that, when opened, revealed the media room Lucas had mentioned. It was all deep gray walls and leather chairs with a huge screen at the far end of the room. Their own movie theater. I kept going, passing the indoor tennis court, the somehow still alive botanical garden, and finally, at the end of the hall, I found the entrance to the pool. But as soon as I pushed open the door, it became clear this was not a typical swimming pool. This was an oasis.
I stepped from a plain stark hallway and into a gorgeous cave pool with stone walls and an honest-to-God waterfall. If it hadn’t been for the lighting under the water, I’d have wondered if this house had been built atop the beautiful place. I descended the stairs deeper into the room and found small cut out areas that housed lounge chairs, a hammock made of beautifully knotted white rope, and overstuffed pillows. The perfect way to escape the world as eternity passed you by.
After dropping my robe on one of the chairs, I sat at the pool’s edge and let the warm water play at my legs. Then I stood, took a deep breath, and jumped. The silence was perfection. Everything around me was gone except the water. I lay on the bottom of the pool, looking up, even though the chlorine burned my eyes. If I could have stayed there forever, I would have. Peace. Safety. Quiet.
My lungs began to ache, but still I stayed under. Not wanting to go back to the real wor
ld filled with loss and pain.
A muffled shout from above startled me, making me suck in an inadvertent breath. I coughed and spluttered, fighting my way to the surface. Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me quickly out of the water. I lay on the cold cement floor, staring up at Cashel’s handsome face.
“What the fuck, Olivia?” he growled.
I coughed again, clearing my lungs as I sat up. “Why did you do that?”
“You weren’t coming up. You tried to end it all with a fucking fork when I first brought you here. Of course I’d dive in after you. I can’t lose you again.”
I stood and grabbed a towel, wiping off my wet face. “You can’t lose me. What will Eliana say when she hears that?”
“Eliana?”
“Yes, you know, the woman you loved before me. The one you nearly fucked against a wall in your room earlier tonight.”
He was in front me, millimeters away, seething. “You heard that? You were eavesdropping?”
“Oh, that’s rich. You’re angry I was in the room I’d been given and happened to hear your escapades with another woman. You’re a fucking hypocrite.”
“I said no. I pushed her away. She’s not stable. I couldn’t reject her outright. She’d take it out on you.”
My chest tightened. I had to get out of here before I made the wrong decision. Again.
Cashel stepped away, his wet hair curling at the edges. My gaze raked his body. Clad in nothing but white swim trunks that hit the middle of his muscular thighs, he was everything I shouldn’t want. Temptation and danger.
Shaking his head, he cast his gaze away from me and dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m going for a swim. Try not to drown yourself.” He dove in, the water barely splashing with his precision. All I could do was watch in awe. He cut through the water at a punishing pace, back and forth, over and over, flipping at the pool’s edge and returning the way he came. He never came up for air. I shook my head. He didn’t need to breathe.